Duke Ashot III of Armenia

Duke Ashot III of Armenia (755-826) was the duke of Bagratid Armenia from 775 to 826, succeeding Duke Smbat II of Armenia and preceding Duke Bagrat of Armenia.

Biography
Ashot was born in 755 to the Miaphysite Christian Armenian House of Bagrationi, and he was the son of Duke Smbat II of Armenia. He succeeded his father upon his death in 775 at the Battle of Bagrevand, and he had to manage a rump state. Several princes and nobles died at Bagrevand in battle against the Abbasid Caliphate, and Arab settlers filled the gap. During the Fourth Fitna, Ashot fought against the Arab rebel commander Jahhaf and his son Abd al-Malik ibn Jahhaf seized the Armenian capital of Dvin in 813 AD and besieged the governor of Armenia at Bardaa. As Abd al-Malik prepared to march out to fight the Armenians, the populace rebelled and killed him. Ashot was the most successful Armenian prince, having held off a large Arab assault and maintained a realm that was nearly lost at the start of his reign. When he died in 826, his sons Bagrat and Smbat would fight over his realm.